Nokia Corporation

Nokia Mobile Phones Limited

Raino Lintulampi

Janne Juhani Parantainen

Guillaume Sebire

Sami Jutila

Mikko U Korpela

Guillaume Sébire

Arto Pussinen

Kari Pirttikangas

Shavantha Kularatna

Benoist Sébire

Pekka Mottonen

Kari Jyrkk&auml;

Heikki P&auml;ivike

Benoist Sebire

A method and an apparatus are described for increasing the flexibility of uplink resource allocation for a mobile station (MS) (), that is backwards compatible with earlier standards that provide only a single data flow per MS. The method includes steps of (A) associating an allocated uplink resource (an Uplink State Flag (USF)) with one or more Temporary Block Flows (TBFs) for a Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and not with a MS per se (although a given USF is associated with only a single MS); and (B) using a Temporary Flow Identity (TFI) for identifying a TBF, where a TFI may be unique to a PDCH and, if not, is unique with respect to the MS on a PDCH (and hence with respect to the USF). The result is that the MS is enabled to send any of its TBFs on allocated resources of the same PDCH. An uplink resource may be allocated to the MS dynamically using the Uplink State Flag (USF) or by using a fixed allocation. A total of n Radio Bearers are associated with a single TBF, where n&#x2267;1.

Method and apparatus for sharing uplink state flag (USF) with multiple uplink temporary block flows (TBFs)

In the LAPDm a short message service is implemented by pre-emption of every second signalling message when there is a short message to be sent. Same pre-emption mechanism is also needed when the RLC/MAC protocol is used on the data link layer instead of the LAPDm. The mechanism is provided by defining at least two different identities to be used with frames transmitted on the signalling channel; and pre-empting frames on the MAC at least on the basis of the identity relating to a frame. The identities are preferably identified on the basis of the signalling radio bearer of the frame.

RLC/MAC protocol

The invention relates generally to a method and an arrangement for transferring information in a packet radio service. The invention further concerns the technology of transferring control information relating to packet data transfer resources on individual packet-switched radio connections at the interface between a transmitting device and a receiving device. It s an objective of this invention to provide a method and a system that offers solutions to the prior art problems. Especially, it is an object of this invention to provide a solution for signalling, which enables the use of more than one connection (TBF) and time slot for packet data transfer in one data transfer direction, and the use of asymmetric resources for uplink/downlink data transfer. The objectives of the invention are fulfilled by providing a procedure, in which the one and same uplink control channel is used for transferring uplink control information, which relates to at least two downlink TBFs. This is preferably achieved by including in the uplink control message information on which downlink time slot the concerned TBF is transferred, assuming the uplink control channel uses an uplink timeslot of which the peer downlink timeslot (i.e. with same timeslot number) is not used by the concerned TBF. It is also preferably achieved by including in a downlink control message information on which uplink time slot control information is transferred corresponding to a determined TBF.

Advanced method and arrangement for transferring information in a packet radio service

A method for operating a wireless communications system includes a step of signalling, between a mobile station to a network, that the mobile station or the network is temporarily ceasing transmission of circuit switched information (DTX), which could be voice frames or data frames. For the case of voice, the method further includes a step, executed in the network, of determining if a current uplink or downlink voice traffic channel that is assigned to the mobile station can be retained by the mobile station, or whether the current uplink or downlink voice traffic channel must be released by the mobile station. Only if it is determined that the current uplink or downlink voice traffic channel must be released by the mobile station, does the network signal to the mobile station to release the channel. The step of determining preferably considers a current network requirement for uplink voice traffic channels, and the step of signalling that the mobile station or the network is temporarily ceasing transmission of voice frames occurs in response to the mobile station or the network entering a Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) state. The retained channel may be later released during the DTX period, if the network determines that the channel is required to support another mobile station.

Method for signalling DTX periods and allocation of new channels in a statistical multiplexed radio interface

A method and an apparatus are described for sending packet data over a wireless link. The method includes sequentially multiplexing a plurality of radio bearers onto one Temporary Block Flow (TBF) by performing, for a first radio bearer, transmitting the first radio bearer identity to a receiver in at least one first Radio Link Control (RLC) block of a Temporary Block Flow (TBF); upon an occurrence of a change from the first radio bearer to a second radio bearer, transmitting the second radio bearer identity to the receiver in at least one subsequent Radio Link Control (RLC) block of the same TBF; and, at the receiver, sequentially demultiplexing the plurality of radio bearers from the one Temporary Block Flow (TBF) by first detecting the presence of the radio bearer identities in received RLC blocks.

Method and apparatus for multiplexing a plurality of data connections onto one temporary block flow

A method and an apparatus are described for increasing the flexibility of uplink resource allocation for a mobile station (MS) (100), that is backwards compatible with earlier standards that provide only a single data flow per MS. The method includes steps of (A) associating an allocated uplink resource (an Uplink State Flag (USF)) with one or more Temporary Block Flows (TBFs) for a Packet Data Channel (PDCH), and not with a MS per se (although a given USF is associated with only a single MS); and (B) using a Temporary Flow Identity (TFI) for identifying a TBF, where a TFI may be unique to a PDCH and, if not, is unique with respect to the MS on a PDCH (and hence with respect to the USF). The result is that the MS is enabled to send any of its TBFs on allocated resources of the same PDCH. An uplink resource may be allocated to the MS dynamically using the Uplink State Flag (USF) or by using a fixed allocation. A total of n Radio Bearers are associated with a single TBF, where n&gE;1.

Apparatus, and an associated method, facilitates changeover of mode of operation of a mobile station operable in a cellular communication system. Changeover of the mode of operation of the mobile station is required when the mobile station is operated in the packet mode and a circuit-switched call is to be terminated at the mobile station. A page is transmitted to the mobile station which includes an allocation of time during which a response to a page forming a request to suspend the packet mode of operation is to be generated.

Apparatus, and associated method, for facilitating rapid mode changeover of a mobile station

For transmitting information about the neighbouring cells to mobile stations, a base station of a cellular radio system creates a message ( &prime;) containing information about the neighbouring cells and transmits it to the mobile station. In addition to the transmission frequencies used in the neighbouring cells, the base station includes in the message other information characterizing the neighbouring cells ( ). In particular, the base station includes in the message information about the quality of service offered to mobile stations by each of the neighbouring cells mentioned in the message. On the basis of the message, the mobile station makes a preliminary selection of a group of the most advantageous new cells and performs measurements among this preliminary selection in order to find a suitable new cell ( ). If the measurements show that there is at least one suitable new cell among the preliminary selection, the mobile station selects a new cell from this group ( ). If the measurements show that there are no suitable new cells in this group, the mobile station selects a new cell from another group of cells than the preliminary selection ( ).

Method for handover and cell re-selection

A method of operating a mobile telephone within a geographical area having overlapping coverage from a first, GSM, network and a second, UMTS, network, where said GSM network is the home network (HPLMN) of the mobile communication device and said GSM and UMTS networks provide respective first and second sets of services in said geographical area. The method comprises registering the telephone with the GSM network when a service of said first set is requested and registering the device with the UMTS network when a service of said second set, but not of said first set, is requested. The method provides the mobile telephone with a roaming for service function.

Mobile communication systems

Cellular radio system base stations (10, 12) offer various service levels and transmit control messages (14) indicating said service levels. Terminals (20) store information (22) about previous connections and, based on that information or on their own capability, produce a prediction on the service level required by the next connection. A terminal selects a cell such that the service level in the cell matches the terminal's prediction on the service level required.

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Kiviniemi, Finland

Raino Lintulampi